Typically, conventional cellular communications devices operate using one of two main competing network technologies. Namely, Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) or Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA). While there are a number of differences between the two competing technologies, at the core GSM implements a time-division multiplexing scheme, while CDMA (as its name implies) implements a code-based multiplexing scheme. In a GSM network a portion of the network's total bandwidth is allocated as a channel to a mobile device. The network base station then selectively “listens” to each of the allocated channels for a short amount of time to send and receive voice and/or data information to and from the mobile device. The base station can only selectively listen to the allocated channel for a short amount of time because it must also listen to other channels allocated to other mobile devices operating on the network. While effective, the TDMA scheme is hampered by its limited bandwidth and need to dedicate a single channel to a single mobile device.
In contrast, in a CDMA network, each channel may be utilized by multiple mobile devices. In order to differentiate the information received from different mobile devices operating on the same allocated channel, each mobile device is assigned a different coding offset in which to encode its voice and/or data information. By selectively switching the decoding code offset, the base station can decode the information received from multiple mobile devices operating on the same allocated channel. This greatly increases the capacity to service more mobile devices on the same amount of total bandwidth.
In addition to the multiplexing and encoding schemes implemented on each of the competing technologies, individual service providers operating competing communication networks may modify other aspects of the communication signals being sent and received over their respective communication networks. This allows each service provider to differentiate their network from another and in some instances offer differentiating features to its customers. These aspects may include communication signal waveforms, frequency, amplitude, etc.
In order to properly operate on a particular service provider's network, a mobile device must be equipped with the necessary hardware to generate the appropriate waveform with the correct modulation, and coding scheme as required by the service provider's network. Because of the fundamental differences in the type of waveform, modulation and coding schemes used between the two competing networks, mobile devices equipped with the necessary hardware to operate on a GSM technology network cannot operate on a CDMA technology network, and vice versa.
Moreover, competing service providers operating similar technology (e.g., GSM or CDMA) networks typically implement proprietary provisioning data that allows a mobile device to operate on a particular service provider's network. Each service provider typically employs a number of provisioning parameters that are unique in their usage or format. Conventional mobile devices store the provisioning data for the single service provider with which the device has been registered. While conventional mobile devices may be able to conduct communications over a different service provider's communication network (provided it is of the same technology type), such usage will be only permitted in accordance with the roaming rules and permissions dictated by the provisioning data loaded into the mobile device. If a user of a conventional mobile device wishes to utilize a different service provider's communication network for primary (i.e., non-roaming) service, the provisioning data loaded into the mobile device must be deleted and replaced with provisioning data of the newly selected service provider. Typically, such a change may only be made by activating a new account with the newly selected service provider. If the user subsequently desires to revert back to the original service provider's communication network for primary service, then a new account on the original service provider's network must be activated and the previous account data deleted.
In some settings, a removable smart card such as a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card or analogous R-UIM card may allow a user to interchange the provisioning data loaded into a mobile device without the need for service provider intervention. The provisioning data for different service providers may be stored on the removable smart card. Because each smart card may store the provisioning data for a different service provider a user may physically interchange smart cards in a mobile device to use different service provider networks for primary service. However, the need to physically interchange smart cards requires a user to carry multiple smart cards. In addition, the physical interchange of smart cards is cumbersome. Lastly, the use of smart cards still does not allow a mobile device equipped with the necessary hardware to operate on a GSM technology network to operate on a CDMA technology network and vice versa.